Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer Cake

By DebKroon

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 c. plus 2 Tbls sugar
• 1 3/4 c. flour
• 3/4 c. plus 2 tbls cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. milk
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 tbls vanilla
• 3/4 c. plus 2 tbls. boiling water
• Filling:
• 1/3 c sliced almods
• 1/2 c powder sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tbls sugar
• 1/2 c salted peanuts
• 1 c creamy peaut butter
• 2 tbls unsalted butter, softened
• 3 oz milk choc. chopped
• 1 cup Rice Krispies
• Ganache:
• 1 1/4 lbs milk chocolate
• 1 3/4 c. plus 2 tbls heavy cream, warmed

Preparation

Step 1

1. Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Butter and flour 9x13 pan.
In large bowl whisk sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder,soda, and salt.
In med. bowl whisk eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.
Whisk wet ingredients into dry. Whisk in the boiling water. (batter will be thin). Pour into pan and bake about 50 minutes. Cool Reduce oven to 325 degrees

2. Invert cake onto surface-slice cake horizontaly.

3. Filling:
Trace 9x13 rectangle onto parchment paper and put on a large baking sheet.
Pulse almonds with powdered sugar until fine.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy ( 2 mins). Fold in almond mixture. Spread on parchment paper to fill rectangle. Bake 20 mins. until litely brown and firm. Cool

4. Melt peanut butter, butter and chocolate. Fold in Rice Krispies. Spread over cooled meringue. Put into freezer to cool completely.

5. Ganache: Melt chocolate; whisk in cream until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour.


To assemble:
1/2 of cake, 1/2 of ganache, meringue, 2nd half of cake. Refrigerate 1 hour, then spread with rest of ganache. Store in refrig.